Mind Your Own Business
by YoursTruly101
Summary: Bella finds herself in an abusive relationship with her cheating husband when she meets Edward, a photographer for the magazine she writes for. As her secrets unfold, so do Edward's. AH. OOC. R&R. T for now.
1. Inspiration

**A/N-Yes, I know I should probably finish my other stories posted on fanficiton, but I like this story, too . . . and I've never written a Bella/Edward fic before, so wish me luck! :)**

**Beta: ltaylor041 (not an official beta on fanfic, but definitely an official friend!) (she will be beta-ing for all chapters)**

**Warning? All human story! Definitely OOC!**

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. **

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 1: Inspiration**

"Hello?" he answered, sounding like he was in a good mood, but I still did not want to risk it. "Hey babe, I'm gonna be home late tonight," he told me.

"Oh, okay," I said. "Same. I have a deadline." But the truth was, we had just sent to the printer the night before. We didn't send again for another week, but he didn't need to know that. I could always work on my piece for my column next week.

"Okay," Mike mumbled, "I'll see ya when I see ya." We both hung up the phone, and I sighed, staring at my computer screen, a blank document ready for next week's column. Next to my computer sat a framed photo of Mike and me on our honeymoon in Costa Rica. I reached towards it and laid it down on the desk, the photo facing down.

_What to write, what to write, what to write, _I thought, tapping my fingers rhythmically on the desk. _What to write._

"Why do you always stay late, Isabella, is it?" I looked up to put a face to the voice, and hello there, a cute face at that! A man in a blue button down shirt and tie stood in front of me. He had dirty blonde hair—almost brunette—and a crooked smile with perfect white teeth.

I shrugged. "Just like it here, I guess." I looked down at my left hand and slid it under the table, out of his view. "And yeah, but it's Bella. Aren't you Carlisle's son, Edward? Oh, yes you are." Carlisle Cullen, the man who signs my much-needed paychecks. He nodded yes. "You know everyone hates you because they think you got the job just because he owns this place?"

"People should really just worry about themselves, mind their own business." Edward ran a finger along the edge of my desk.

"That would be nice," I agreed as a thought occurred in my head. I slyly slipped my diamond ring off of my left ring finger under the table and slid it into my knee-high black leather boot—the boots that my friend Alice had forced me to buy. I hoped he had not seen. _If he does it, then why can't I?_ I asked myself, laying my left hand on top of my desk in Edward's sight.

"Hm, Alice's friend, aren't you," Edward mused to himself. He glanced out into the other offices and entrance area. "This place is dead," he said.

"Tell me about it. Hey, do you wanna go get a drink?" I knew Mike was cheating, so why couldn't I have a little fun?

He tilted his head, looking at me a little funny, probably wondering why I had asked him such an abrupt question. "Sure, lemme just go get my coat." He turned around, walking back to his office, and I admit it, I watched him. I turned off my computer and grabbed my purse and coat. Checking my phone for any missed calls or texts, I noticed a text from Alice, the "trends" section editor, my best friend, and also Edward's little sister. The text read: "HEY! Don't stay too late today, okay?" I replied, "Leaving now." Alice was always looking out for me. Somehow, I think she knew about Mike and me. I just don't think she ever knew how to approach me about it.

"You ready?" Edward asked as he came to my desk.

I glanced one last time at the picture frame facing down on my desk, smiled, and looked back up at Edward. "Ready!"

We went to this restaurant/bar down the street that I had been to a couple of times with Alice. She claimed the waiter had a thing for her . . . she only claimed this, however, after she had had a few drinks and told the hostess, Victoria, to wear a turtleneck to "conceal the girls." As much as Alice embarrassed me sometimes, she was my best friend and I loved her.

"You know, I love reading your column each week," Edward told me, setting his drink on the table. "How'd you land the gig, anyway?"

"Well, I interned at the magazine for a few months, and then Emily left. She had the column before me. She told your dad and Jacob that she thought I had 'spunk.'" Jacob was my section editor. "And that if they didn't give me the job they'd really regret it." I took a sip of my drink. "Your dad gave me a trial run, so I wrote the column for three issues, and he liked me! So I got the job!" I paused. "I'm surprised you read it. They're kind of feminine." Then something crossed my mind. "Wait... unless you're..."

He laughed. "Ah no! No, I am not. I just love how you write; no matter what it's about it's captivating. And that's also what I like about the column in general, it's just random! But I can see how it can also be useful to readers, too, and it is just so captivating." I laughed—he kind of just kept going and going and going . . .

"Ha, yeah Alice says that reading my column is like an—"

But Edward cut me off, "An orgasm for her brain. Yeah, I know. She's said that to a lot of people about your pieces. She's very... very... eccentric?"

"See, you can use fancy words, too!" I laughed, he joined in. "But I guess photography is more your forte." He nodded. Edward was the photo editor for the magazine, a phenomenal photo editor, at that. I'll have to ask Alice for a sexual comparison. "So, tell me the truth. Did you get the job because of daddy?" I asked.

"I mean, yeah, sure, maybe, but I hate that! People think that and then they automatically know I'm some conceited idiot that is going to run the publication into the ground once my dad leaves." He drank the last of his drink as a waiter stopped by, asking us if we wanted more. We both said yes. "But I hate that, hate it!" I wondered what Edward's brother Emmett did for a living and why he wasn't in the publication business. Carlisle had mentioned him a few times in passing, but I decided not to inquire any further.

"Well, if it means anything at all, I do not think you are some conceited idiot." I smiled and nonchalantly flipped my hair over my shoulder. _Oh God, I just flipped my hair._ Who was I?

"Means a lot. Thanks, Bella!" Then we entered the first awkward silence moment of the night. I was actually surprised we had made it this far. We made it out of the office, down the street, through the door, and almost to the second drink. I would consider that rather successful, actually.

Once the waiter came back with our drinks, Edward asked me if I knew what I was going to write for next week's issue. I told him I hadn't really decided yet; nothing had hit me yet. "So something has to 'hit' you?" he asked. "What? Like an asteroid?" I smiled, but shook my head no. "Yeah, I get it. Inspiration."

"Exactly. I just hope that inspiration doesn't wait to hit until the morning of deadline. In that case, the 'dead' in 'deadline' is literal." I bit my lip. "Wow, that has got to be one of the worst journalistic jokes ever," I laughed.

I got up and went to the bathroom after that. The ring in my boot was killing me. I had to take it out. I quickly removed it. "Bastard," I muttered as I turned it over in my hand and slipped it into my purse. I checked my hair, my makeup, and headed back out toward Edward. He was staring off into space when I sat down.

"Is the wall really that interesting?" I questioned him. He snapped back to reality, and I ignored his little daze out. "So how are you out this late? Your girlfriend not mind?" I know it is the oldest trick in the book, but I had to know. Single? Taken? We already know he's not gay, so that was crossed off the list.

"No girlfriend," he said, taking a swig of his drink. I looked up, making eye contact with him, and smiled.

After that, no more awkward silences arose. The conversation flowed, as well as the drinks, several drinks, in fact.

At 11:15, I told him that we should probably head out. Walking out to the street, we decided to share a cab. We both gave the driver the addresses of our separate apartment buildings as we got in. After the first block, Edward and I turned to each other at the exact same time, connected eyes, and then well, he kissed me. I'm not saying I that I didn't kiss back. I mean I _kissed _back. After a minute, Edward pulled away, looked at me with questioning eyes. I smiled in response. He leaned towards the driver. "Actually, " he said, "just go to the second address we gave you, mine." The driver chuckled, and I pulled Edward back against me.

That's when the inspiration hit me.

**A/N-C'mon! Hit that little review button and let me know what you think! I have the first six and a half chapters written, so I plan to post soon. **


	2. Kiss Me

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 2: Kiss Me**

Edward unlocked his apartment door and let me in first. Then he quickly shut the door and pulled me into him by my waist. I dropped my purse to the floor; his hands went to unbutton my purple top. I froze, backing away from him. "I... I can't," I mumbled, bringing my hand to cover my mouth.

He took a few steps closer to me, closing the gap. "Bella, are you okay?"

I bit my lip and leaned down to pick up my purse. I took the ring out of the coin compartment of my wallet and slipped it back onto my left hand ring finger. Holding my left hand up in front of my face, I said, "I'm married." This time, he stepped back away from me. "But it's not what it looks like. He's cheating on me."

"Are you divorced? Separated?" Edward asked, hurt.

"Well, no but I—"

"_Well, no but I_'m just your revenge." He looked at me as if I was his little sister—worried but caring eyes with a straight, concerned line for a mouth. He turned around and walked to the door, opened it, and said, "I'll see you at work, Bella."

I sighed and began walking out the door. "I'll see you at work." He shut the door lightly behind me. _What if Mike isn't cheating?_ I thought. _What if I had really just cheated? _Well, of course I cheated on Mike, but I had this mindset . . . If he did it, why couldn't I? I kept trying to justify my actions.

I decided to walk home that night after I realized I was only three blocks away from home. Why pay for a cab? By the time I reached the door, it was midnight. Before I could even reach in my purse for my key, the door swung open, revealing Mike. "Where have you been?" he asked me, pulling me inside the apartment and slamming the door behind us. "I thought you said you were going to be home late, not midnight."

"Well, midnight is late," I said in a smartass tone of voice. He had walked in past two in the morning plenty of times.

"Whatever," Mike brushed it off, pulling my purse off of my shoulder and dropping it to the ground. He pulled me into him, pushing his lips forcefully against mine, like every single one of his lies were being thrust upon me all at once. I pulled away once I tasted the alcohol on his lips and tongue. I used to ignore that taste, telling myself I was hallucinating. I was done with that, though.

"You're drunk," I spat at him. He shrugged and tried to advance on me once again. "Mike, stop!" But he didn't listen. "Get off of me! Quit it! You're drunk, Mike. Sit down." I pushed him onto a chair at the kitchen table, and turned around to get him a glass of water. The glass was halfway full when I felt hands grab my waist. In reaction, I dropped the glass. It shattered across the floor, covering the tile in shiny wet pieces of glass. "Dammit, Mike, don't touch me!"

"Awe, c'mon," he whispered into my ear. "Just a little fun tonight? For me?" he begged.

"No," I said firmly before he pushed me to the floor, pissed off. On my way to the floor, my arm slammed into an open kitchen drawer. "Ahh!" I screamed in pain, scooting into the corner and curling into myself.

Mike knelt down to my level. I could smell the pungent alcohol rolling off of his breath. "Next time, you'll know," he gritted through his teeth before getting up and kicking my shin. I winced in pain, tears cascading down my cheeks. _He's never hurt me before. _Mike shrugged off to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. I sat on the kitchen floor for the next half hour, wiping tears from my face and breathing heavily. _He just wanted sex. Why didn't I give it to him? It would have been that easy._

I took one last deep breath before pushing myself up off of the tile floor. I couldn't sleep. There was too much going on in my head. Not to mention, I was scared. I sat down on the couch, remembering the soft lips that belonged to the man who had kissed me earlier that night. No, not my husband, but Edward Cullen. I grabbed my laptop off of the coffee table and began writing for next week's issue. As I typed my byline, I was happy with my decision last year to keep my maiden name on my writing.

_Kiss me I' m a writer . . ._

_By Isabella Swan _

_From a young age, we are taught that when we kiss "the one," fireworks will explode. Fact? Myth? It truly depends upon the person and the kiss, I suppose. Check out our website and leave a comment—Have you heard fireworks during a kiss?_

_Some of us have that _perfect _first kiss. Others? Well, others really just have a kiss. Either that, or your first kiss was awkward and essentially just sucked! In my friend's case, for instance, the guy basically attacked her face without so much as a hint or a warning. She was mortified, and not to mention, disgusted! She refused to kiss anyone for the next year. _

_Then there's the awkward but "ehkay" kiss. This, sadly, is what I had. (Fantastic! I'm telling my readers about my first kiss . . . let us hope he does not read this . . . ) It was after a dance, walking to his car, when he asked, "Kiss?" before leaning over to plant one on my lips. Hm, romantic? Eh. Awkward._

_If you are lucky, you had the perfect first kiss! Good for you... now, leave the rest of us to sulk about our less than perfect first experience! _

_Kidding! _

_But for those of us who did not experience a flawless-straight-from-a-fairy-tale kiss, we can look forward to sharing that kiss with "the one" whom we love. Whether fireworks go off, a star shoots across the sky, or your foot pops, turning on a garden of dazzling lights, your perfect kiss is your special kiss. In the mean time, check out these movies with classic, famous kisses. Curl up with the one you love and have a movie night. Happy Valentines Day! _

Don Juan _(1926) (Record number of kisses for it's time—191 total!)_

Gone with the Wind _(1939)_

Breakfast at Tiffanys _(1961) (Classic kiss in the rain!)_

Dirty Dancing_ (1987)_

Rainman_ (1988)_

Lady and the Tramp_ (1995) (Admit, you love it, too!)_

Spider-Man_ (2002)_

Kids in America _(2005) (Longest film kiss totaling in at 6 minutes.)_

The Notebook _(2005) (We all long for that kiss in the rain!)_

Slumdog Millionaire _(2008)_

**A/N-Please, please, please review! :) **


	3. Brunch?

**A/N—Now, not only is ltaylor041 a beta, but so is my friend Emma (applause). So please give her a warm welcome. Hopefully no typos or errors make it past the three of us, but if they do, my apologies **

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 3: Brunch?**

The next morning when I was getting dressed, I got the first glimpse of the bruises. I had forgotten to put ice on them the night before—I really should have. So I decided to, again, wear my knee high boots to cover my shin bruise. Then I wore a navy skirt that came just to my knees. On top, I wore a ruffled shirt that came just below the blue and purple mark on my arm. Next, makeup. As I applied my foundation, I was relieved that Mike had left for work about five minutes before I got up. _Does he remember last night? Or was he too drunk? _I tried not to think about last night the rest of the day. This was particularly hard, however, because my boot kept rubbing up against my bruise as I walked down the street.

I sat down at my desk, causing my boot to hit the mark once more. A quiet "ow" escaped my lips, and I looked up in the direction of Edward's office. He was on the phone with someone; he seemed angry. He must have felt me staring at him or something, because he looked up and glanced at me through the glass walls of his office. Once he realized who he had locked eyes with, he looked back at his computer screen. I sighed and turned on mine. Editing my story was a priority, but I also wanted to rewrite it. Would Edward recognize that it was specifically about . . . him?

I logged into GoogleDocs, where I had saved my story last night while sitting on the couch away from Mike, and began editing. I was so focused that I did not notice Alice come up to my desk and sit on it. "Hey," she said, a little too perky for me in the morning. "Apparently you and Edward left together last night."

"Wait, we what?"

"Yeah, those security guys love to gossip." She examined her nails, not making eye contact with me.

"You mean you like to gossip with them." She shrugged. "And yeah, we both stayed late so we decided to walk out together. We were the last ones here."

"Mmmmkay, whatever you say." I could tell Alice's eye caught the picture frame that was still laying face down on my desk. She didn't ask me about it, though. "Anyhoo, I have an interview to get to, so see ya later chica! Be nice to my brother!" With that she hopped right off of my desk and sauntered toward her desk to grab her coat and purse.

"I need coffee," I mumbled to myself before getting up and walking to the nearest coffee maker. The second the caffeine touched my lips, I relaxed and leaned up against the counter. I gently rubbed my bruised arm, not fully realizing that my sleeve had slipped up.

That is when the moment of relaxation came to an abrupt halt. "Nice bruise, Newton," Edward greeted me by my married name. "What'd you do? Get in a street fight?" He filled his mug with coffee.

"Hey, _Cullen,_" I put emphasis on his last name. "And yeah, you know me! Always picking fights with men in alleyways. You should see the other guy," I laughed. "He's in the hospital, the poor thing!" I sipped my coffee. Ahh, the sweet, sweet sensation of caffeine.

Edward laughed with me before asking, "No, really. What happened to you?"

I closed my eyes for a few seconds, positive that he did not notice. "Oh, I am just a terrible klutz! You know, running into walls, tables, and doors left and right. It's crazy!"

"Hmm," he mused and glanced down at my stance. I hadn't realized I was standing so awkwardly, holding my leg out so my boot would not rub up against my leg. "Problem?" he asked, gesturing towards my leg.

"Nope." I pulled my leg back next to my other, slightly wincing in pain while doing so. "Yeah, I have to go," I said, looking down and walking out of the room.

"Wait," he called after me. "I think we need to start over after last night. I have to shoot a concert tonight, but if you wanna go grab some food after work tomorrow . . .?"

I sighed. "Sure, why not?" I wanted to go out with him, I did, but I couldn't help but think of the incident when I met Mike. I was dating some guy my friend introduced to me, and it was a good relationship, don't get me wrong. His name was Eric, and we had been dating for three months when I went to a party my friend Angela was having—I didn't bring Eric along. That's when I met Mike. We talked a lot after the party, and finally I admitted to myself that I was flirting, so I broke up with Eric. Now, granted, this situation is much different considering the fact that I am now married to Mike.

Actually, you know what? Scratch that! This situation is entirely different.

When I went home that night—at a normal time, mind you—I found a note waiting for me on the kitchen table. It read: "Sorry, I won't be home in time for dinner tonight. Going out with some people from work. See you when I get home."

"Cool," I gritted through my teeth, tearing the note into a million tiny pieces before shoving them into the trashcan. That's when I noticed that Mike had left his laptop at home. He rarely does that. Since his laptop has the better games, I opened it up and sat down on the couch. While I was waiting for the game to open, an email popped up from "Rosie."

Subject: Sunday brunch.

_Sunday brunch? _Who the hell is Mike having brunch with? And _brunch? _

_This must be her_, I thought. I was going to click on the email, but then he would know that it was opened, that I had read it, and I did not want to enter that argument. So, I let the email be and went about playing some game on his laptop.

"You know, even if he is chea—" Edward said while we were waiting for our food the next day after work. I interrupted him, though.

"Let's not talk about that, okay?" He nodded in understanding. "I should not have done that the other night. I'm sorry."

"I understand," he replied. We were both quiet for a few moments before he said, "Nice article, by the way, this week."

"What?" I asked, confused. "What article?"

"You're column." _That. _"According to the spreadsheet, it needed one more staff proof, so I proofed it." _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. _"It's really good, and perfect since Valentines Day is when the issue goes out." _Don't ask who the kiss was with. Don't ask who the kiss was with. _"Was it about Mike?" _I told you not to ask._

I took a drink so I wouldn't have to answer necessarily and nodded "yes" in the process. Edward, I think, noticed that I did not want to talk about the article and moved on. "So what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked.

"Let's see, tomorrow's Friday right?" _No shit, Bella. _"I'm going out with Alice." I laughed. "Ha, yeah, we go dancing the second Friday of every month." I looked down at the table. "I'm surprised you haven't seen the embarrassing photos and videos on her phone."

He, too, laughed. "I haven't, but that's interesting. I just can't picture you and my sister being friends. I mean, you're all... you, and she's all... not you." I looked up at him and laughed. "Okay, that was a bad comparison, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah," I said, "I do. What about you? What's your weekend look like?"

"Ugh, well, I have to shoot some family reunion-brunch-type-thing for some high and mighty NYC family."

"Oooo, that does not sound enjoyable."

"Not at all. Just some hoity-toity jackasses with too much money."

"Intense," I laughed. "What _high and mighty NYC family_?" I asked.

"The Hales."

**A/N-wanna make me smile? Review!**


	4. Irritating

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 4: Irritating**

Monday morning, when I sat down at my desk, I immediately picked up the honeymoon frame and set it upright. Mike had attended a business meeting Saturday morning and afternoon. That night, he took me out to a nice dinner, and afterward, surprised me with orchestra tickets to see _Phantom. _When we got home, I was expecting him to pressure me into bed. Half of me would have given in, honestly. It sounds cliché, but it was like he was a completely changed man. In the moment, I forgot about the email. I forgot about the brunch, the girl, the late nights, the controlling demands, the bruises. It was as if that stuff had never happened, it had never existed.

But no matter how many times I told myself that those _things_ had never happened, I never believed myself. No matter how many material things that he showered me with, the little voice in the back of my head kept telling to run and never look back.

I sighed and looked up at Edward's office. His door and blinds were closed, and the lights appeared to be off. I figured he was out shooting some event. I don't know what I found so captivating about him. Whether it was his crooked smile or old fashioned personality . . . Or the rush it gave me to kiss him, almost as if it was revenge on Mike. No, not almost. It was revenge; I had cheated, and I knew it. I could not justify my actions.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked me curiously. Alice.

"Thinking," I replied. I wanted to tell Alice about what happened between Edward and me, but that would involve me admitting to her about my situation with Mike. She was my best friend; some things, though, I was scared to tell her, almost as if I thought she would be disappointed in me.

"About what?" she questioned, playing with some pens sitting in a mug on my desk.

"Jacob asked me to write some alt. cov. on the history of Valentine's Day."

"Wouldn't that involve you, oh, I don't know, doing research? Not staring off into space like some idiot? Or staring at my brother's office; I mean, really, whatever suits your fancy." I rolled my eyes, but she continued. "Anyhoo, can you check out my spread when you get a chance? It needs some other eyes to look at it."

"Will do," I told her, glancing up from my computer just in time to see Edward unlock his door.

"Told you," Alice said, noticing where my eyes were at. This time, she was the one to take the honeymoon picture frame and place it face down on my desk before walking back to her office. _She knows. _I bit my lip, nervous. Why hadn't she just confronted me about it then? Either way, I picked up the frame and placed it upright once again.

_Valentine's history . . . Valentine's history . . . _Alice was right-I did need to actually open up the Internet to research this.

Google Search: Love sucks.

Delete.

Google Search: Men are stupid

Delete.

Google Search: Oh great Google god, why are men assholes?

Delete.

Google Search: No, no, no. Oh great Google god, why-

_Oh, screw it!_

Google Search: Valentine's Day history

After researching a bit, I decided to forget about the history and do my own thing. If Jacob didn't like it, then he could change it himself. I typed up a quick ByTheNumbers for him. I'd design it later.

_Forget about Cupid's arrows this year! Give your loved one something from the heart. In the meantime, check out these Valentine's Day statistics published by The History Channel and Column Five in January 2012._

_36 million heart shaped chocolate boxes sold_

_ 58 million pounds of chocolate sold_

_62 percent of people celebrate Valentine's Day_

_ 448 million dollars spent the week prior to Valentine's Day_

_150 million cards and gifts sent each year_

_ 174,000 gallons of sparkling wine sold through out the holiday week_

As I finished typing up the stats, Edward walked out of his office with a camera in hand. He strolled by my desk, not even acknowledging my existence. Five minutes later, he walked by again, but this time, slowing down, almost as if he was looking at something on my computer screen.

Stalker.

About twenty minutes later, I decided I needed fresh air and coffee that didn't come from the break room, so I walked down the street to a little coffee house. After paying for my hazelnut coffee, I headed back to my building and got in the elevator. Just as the doors were sliding shut, a hand snuck in and stopped them. I sighed, not wanting the company on the ride up eighteen floors.

"Hey, stranger," Edward said. The elevator doors closed. I didn't respond; we both stood there in silence before he asked, "Do you walk into walls much?"

I turned my head to him, confused. "What?"

He gestured towards my arm.

"Oh . . . yeah." I looked up at the counting numbers. _Go faster, dammit. _"Just a klutz."

Edward took a step back, almost as if he was looking behind me at something._Are you checking out my ass? _ "Do you also run into nails?" he questioned me. _My neck, _I thought. _I forgot about that. _

"What are you talking about?" At this point, I was just annoyed with him. I wanted to get back to my desk and forget about him.

"Bella, your neck."

"Klutz, Edward, klutz." Just then the elevator stopped on floor nine and let on another passenger. We both went quiet. After riding up a few more floors, we stopped once again to let on some other random stranger. Edward grabbed my hand and dragged me off of the elevator, I'm sure, leaving those other people in confusion.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" he asked me, still not letting go of hand, but now looking me in the eyes.

"Well, you did get the job because of daddy," I snapped.

"I did not!" he protested. "Now answer the question."

"I don't know," I shrugged sheepishly.

"Your husband's not cheating on you."

"Yes, he is."

"Yes, and more," Edward probed, finally releasing my hand.

"He drinks," I said flatly. "WHY am I talking to YOU about this? Your sister doesn't even know!" I quickly turned around on my heels and began to continually press the up button on the elevator. "And didn't you say people should mind their own business?"

"Well," he began, "yes I did, but I'm worried about you, Bella."

"Shut up!" I spat. "_God_, why are these things so freaking slow?" I, again, quickly turned on my heels and headed for the stairs. Edward followed. "Stop following me!"

"Um, you work where I work," he pointed out.

"Oh," I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Right."

There was only silence until we reached our floor. Then, he said, "You are so irritating!" We both stormed off-him to his office, and me to my desk.

Two hours later, I decided that I needed to talk to Edward. I owed him an explanation. As much as I did not want to, and as much as I did not want to embarrass myself, I needed to do it. I knew that I shouldn't really care what he thought, but some part of me did. I needed to find that part and slap some sense into it. In the meantime, though, talking to him would suffice.

I stormed into his office, his face going white with surprise. I grabbed his tie, pulled him out of his chair, and began towing him down the hall. "Irritating," he said. "No seriously. This is kind of choking me . . . you don't care . . . Okay, just keep on tuggin'."

"Shutttttttt uppppppp," I gritted through my teeth.

Edward blinked in response. "Where are we going?"

"Disney Land," I responded mater-of-factly.

"Really?" he asked with fake excitement.

"No."

"You crush my dreams, Bella," he pouted like a five-year old.

I pulled him inside the first unlocked room down the hall, keeping the lights off, and closing the blinds. It was a room Edward, I'm sure, had been in countless times. It was a "black box" style room where photographers could play with light and backgrounds to get different effects on portraits. "Dating in the dark?" Edward chuckled.

"Shut up!" I whisper-yelled at him.

"Oooo, someone's got a temper."

"Look, I-" I began, but he cut me off.

"It's dark," Edward pointed out. "I can't look."

"Figure of speeeeechhhhh." _I'm the irritating one? _"Now, I am a klutz. Do you understand that?"

"Why did we have to come in here to learn that?"

"I thought it would be fun to drag you around by your tie," I shrugged.

"Not fun. Choking is not fun."

"I know that," I pointed out.

"Oh, you do. How?" I rolled my eyes in response. "God, I can't even see it, and I know you rolled those damn eyes! Stop it!"

"Never," I protested, rolling them once more for dramatic effect.

He ignored me and introduced his own subject. "You staying late tonight?"

"Of course."

"Pick you up at eight at your desk," he told me before walking out, not giving me a chance to respond.

I shook my head. "Oh no."

So I hadn't exactly told him the truth.

But I was closer.

**A/N-Edward wants you . . . to review . . . **

**No seriously . . . he does. **


	5. Impossible

**A/N-Thanks to ltaylor041 and Emma for beta reading again! Love you guys! :)**

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 5: Impossible**

Later that day, Alice came over to my desk (again!) and began rambling on about something that really did not interest me one bit. I silently thanked my phone for ringing, not even paying attention to caller ID.

"Bella, may you please give the phone to Alice?" I looked up. Edward was standing by his desk, on the phone staring at me.

"And may I ask why you can't call her?"

"She's standing next to you," he said flatly. I rolled my eyes and passed the phone to Alice. I saw a slight smirk wash over Edward's face as I rolled my eyes.

I watched Alice's facial expression as she listened to Edward. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. "Are you sure?" she asked him. "Okay, I'll be right there." She hung up the phone and made her way to Edward's office. The second she closed the door behind her, she yelled at Edward. I couldn't tell what she was yelling, but she seemed pissed. Edward yelled back, throwing his hands up in the air. She did the same. Whether it was just some brother-sister fight or something serious, I was enthralled. For an only child, it was like watching a TV show.

I'd always wanted a sibling; brother or sister, I really don't care. But once my parents divorced, that kind of flew out the window. My mom, Renee, remarried, and I honestly don't think she is that fond of children. Well . . . besides me, of course. My dad? Although it took Charlie some time to get used to me once I moved in, he's great with kids. I was seventeen when my mom remarried and moved from Texas to Florida. After that, I moved in with my dad in Queens, New York, where he was a cop. He started dating again . . . but I tried to not talk to him about that portion of his life.

Edward pointed at his computer, and Alice reluctantly looked at it, shock covering every inch of her face. She sat down in Edward's chair and gaped at his computer screen. He hit a key on the keyboard; she covered her mouth with her hand, gasping. _What is going on in there? _Alice looked up at her brother and said something before leaving his office, walking straight past me, not even attempting to look at me. _What did Edward have on his computer? _

Seven o'clock rolled around and I wanted to get the heck out of that newsroom. Only a few remained-Edward, Carlisle, some intern, and me. Carlisle and Edward were standing at the entrance to Edward's office discussing something. It appeared serious. I heard words like "merger," "buy-out," and "that damn bastard." I planned to ask Edward about it that night when he "picked me up at my desk."

As I waited for the clock on my computer to read 8:00 PM, I distracted myself with brainstorming for future columns, but at 7:30, Edward locked up his office and came searching for me. "A little early, aren't you?" I asked him.

"Just a little, but isn't that the gentlemanly thing to do?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow and flashing that crooked smile of his.

"You act like a seventeen year old taking a girl on a date." I smiled at the thought of Edward being seventeen and tried to imagine him taking me to a high school homecoming.

"And who says I'm not?"

"Common sense . . . I don't think a twenty-seven year old is the same as a seventeen year old." _Wait. _"Never mind, you're a guy. You'll always be seventeen . . . and ten . . . and five for that matter."

"Is incoherent rambling a side effect of Bella?" he asked me, smiling just a bit.

"I do not ramble incoherently," I stood up for myself. "Okay . . . well . . . sometimes, but not as much as your sister!" He rolled his eyes. "Hey! Eye-rolling is my thing. You pick your own quirk, thank you very much."

"Let's go," was all he said. I complied, turning off my computer and grabbing my purse. I wanted so badly to spend more time with Edward, but yet I was scared something would come out of my mouth that I would regret. Or, rather, I was scared my mouth would do something I would regret.

Not as dirty as it sounds.

Once we were seated at the restaurant, he did not waste any time before asking me a question that made my stomach drop and my hands shake. "Why do you think he's cheating on you?"

"Excuse me?" I asked. "Why would you ask me that? Edward, I told you that I refuse to talk to you about this. End of story. Case closed." He grabbed his phone from his pocket. "You're so polite to text during dinner," I said sarcastically, sitting back in my chair and folding my arms across my chest, upset.

"Would you talk to me about it if I showed you this?" He held up his iPhone for me to see. On the screen was a photo of Mike. He was in a suit, with the red tie I had gotten him for Christmas that year. He was looking off into the distance at something that wasn't in the photo.

"H-how did you get this?" I managed to stutter out as my shaky hands grabbed the phone from him.

He bit his lip. "It's from that Hale family reunion that I shot on Saturday."

"That's impossible," I brushed it off. "He had a business brunch."

"The reunion was a brunch."

"What kind of business would Mike have with the Hales?"

"I don't know what your husband does," he told me, gesturing for his phone back. I gave it to him, and he swiped his finger once across the screen to progress to the next photo. "Here." He handed the phone back to me, and on it, I saw Mike with his hand around the waste of some blonde. "That's Rosalie Hale, Richard Hale's daughter."

"Rosie," I muttered.

"Pardon?" Edward looked confused. "Do you know her?"

"Rosie," I repeated, my hands beginning to shake more. _I was right_. "Excuse me, Edward." I got up and found my way to the bathroom. I checked under all the stalls to make sure that no one else was in there before I allowed the tears to cascade down my face. "I was right. I was right," I kept repeating almost inaudibly. "I was right." I grabbed my phone out of my purse.

Create Message. To: Alice Cullen.

_Why didn't you tell me about the photos? I thought you were my friend. _

Seconds later, my phone lit up: New Message From Alice Cullen.

_He made me promise that he could show you. _

I responded. _Still. _

Within seconds, another reply. _I'm so sorry, Bells. _

I put my phone away; I would deal with Alice later. I quickly wiped my tears away and made sure that I looked at least somewhat presentable.

"Can I see the others?" I asked when I sat down across from Edward. He handed me his phone and I started to look through the photos. Rosalie whispering in Mike's ear. Mike's hand on Rosalie's ass. Rosalie messing her hands through Mike's hair. Mike kissing Rosalie.

As much as I wanted to rip Rosalie Hale's hair out, I had to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she didn't know that he was married. He was the scumbag until proven innocent. She was just a rich slut who was used to getting everything her heart desired with a bat of the eyelashes to daddy.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward broke me out of my trance.

"It's not your fault," I told him. "It's mine."

"No, it isn't. Do not tell yourself that. I won't let you. He was the asshole who didn't realize what a great girl he ended up with, and he sure as hell didn't realize how much he would be missing out on if he hurt her."

_ If he hurt her, _he said. If he only knew.

**A/N-You know what you should do? Review. "Why?" you ask. Well . . . because . . . because . . . just, please review! Okay? :) A ton of you have added MYOB to your favorites and subscribed to the alert, so I know you're reading! Tell me what you think! **


	6. Thank you

**A/N-I apologize if this chapter is not necessarily . . . well . . . accurate? I don't know what word to use exactly, but this chapter has a tricky scene to write. And while I've written scenes that involve more abuse (a story _not_ posted on ), I found this one particularly hard to write. So please read it and let me know what you think! MYOB needs the criticism! **

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 6: Thank you.**

I took a cab home that night, scared that if I walked I would lose my way. I was in such a daze, that I barely knew what I was doing, just going through the motions. It was only about 9:15 by the time I got home. Mike was there, sitting on the couch working on something on his laptop. I composed myself, making sure that my facial expression showed him nothing. I sat down next to him. "Hey babe," he greeted me, rubbing his hand on my thigh. "How was your day?"

"I want a divorce, Mike," I told him as I swallowed and looked straight ahead. Mike closed his laptop and set it on the coffee table in front of us. I stood up and started to walk away, but was hindered when he placed his foot out in front of me; I tripped, falling face-forward onto the hardwood floors. "What the?" I screamed at him, standing back up. I looked him in the eyes; it wasn't Mike.

He held out a hand to help me up; I looked at it with disgust. "Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized. He helped me up even though I was still leery of what he was capable of doing to me. "Babe, why would you want a divorce? That's crazy talk. I love you." He sat back down on the couch and motioned me to sit next to him again. I sat on the chair across from him.

"Okay," I began and folded my hands in my lap. "Then tell me about your business brunch on Saturday . . ."

"Oh, it was great," Mike perked up. "Met with several potential clients." _Yeah, just the kind of client you like. _

"Is one, per chance, named Rosalie Hale?" My eyes were daggers on his face.

"Why yes, she is," he replied calmly. _Had I been wrong? Is he not cheating? No, Bella. You saw the photos. Be brave. _

"You're cheating on me," I gritted through my teeth. "You're fucking cheating on me."

"No, I'm not Bella," he turned the charm on just like he always has. "Why would you say that?"

"Really?" I asked. "You're not cheating on me? Then why did you have your hand on the ass of this Rosalie Hale? Or your lips on the mouth of this Rosalie Hale? Hmm?"

He shook his head no, but remained quiet. I stood up and made my way to the bedroom; I didn't notice him coming up behind me though. I felt a rough hand grasp my wrist, turning me around. Mike's face was an inch from mine. "Listen to me," he said in a whisper. "What I do is none of your business. My relationships with potential clients are just that, mine. Stay out." I struggled to get free from his grasp, but failed. Swiftly, I took my other hand and slapped him across the face. He let go and I ran to the bathroom. Before I could slam the door shut, his strong arm stopped me from doing so. I backed up, further and further, knowing that soon I would hit the shower.

"Mike, stop!" I pleaded, but he didn't listen. My heels hit the bottom rim of the shower. I stopped; he kept walking. "M-Mike." My voice was shaky.

"Mind your own business," he said harshly before slapping me across the face. I fell down and quickly felt a sharp pain on my forehead. I ignored the pain and the feeling of blood, just wanting him to get away from me. Before I could scream at him to get out, he turned around and walked out. A few seconds later, I heard the apartment door slam shut. I sighed with relief as I crawled to the counter top, sitting up against it. My breathing came in sharp increments, my heart rate still astronomical.

Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face as I silently sobbed.

I don't know how much time passed as I sat on my bathroom floor, but eventually I stood up to look in the mirror. I had been so engrossed in calming myself down and catching my breath that I forgot about the pain throbbing on my head. Once I saw myself in the mirror, I gasped. My eyes red and puffy from crying. My hair in a ratted mess. The right side of my forehead adorned in a bloody gash. I glanced over at the shower. On the edge of the sliding glass door, there was a tiny hint of blood.

I winced at the memory and grabbed a washcloth to soak in warm water. After I cleared the blood from my forehead, Mike's damage was revealed. A two inch scrape traveled down the side of my forehead and to my temple, a blue-purple bruise decorating the perimeters.

"No makeup is going to cover that up," I laughed to myself.

That night, I locked the bedroom door so that, if Mike returned, he wouldn't come in. Climbing into that bed and getting under the covers only brought back memories, which only reminded me of what he had done. Eventually, though, I did fall asleep.

Like normal, my alarm went off. I groaned, not wanting to move, not wanting to get up, not wanting to look presentable, not wanting to go to work. I did anyway, though, going through the motions of taking a shower (despite the burn it caused on my forehead), getting dressed, putting on makeup, eating breakfast, and getting out the door. Mike was nowhere in sight. Before I left, however, I dug an old birthday present from Alice out of the back of my closet-a "stylish" hat she said that I would love, or in this case, probably, cover up my injuries. I tried it on. _No, not happening. Hats are a bad idea. _I ended up sweeping my bangs over the scratch and bruise.

When I walked into the office, my eyes immediately scanned for Alice. I didn't want to tell her, but yet I still _needed_ to. Her computer was still off, so I figured she wasn't there yet. After I set my stuff down at my desk and switched on my computer, I glanced up at Edward's office. It looked like he was in a meeting with Carlisle and some other executive. I paid no attention to them; the only thing my eyes wanted to see was Edward. Tears beginning to escape my eyes, I ran to his office, bursting through the door. He immediately stood up to greet me, but all my weight pushed into him, causing him to take step back in shock. I wrapped my arms around him, sobbing. Realizing what was happening, he, too, put his arms around my waist and hugged me closer. "Carlisle. Eleazar." I heard him say. "Um, can we continue this later today?"

"Of course," the other two men said. I could almost feel their eyes on my back, wondering why this spastic woman had come running into Edward's office. The door shut.

"Bella?" Edward asked. "Bella, c'mon." His voice was soothing, but I kept crying. He unlatched my arms from behind his back and turned me around, guiding me to sit in his chair. He turned the chair around to face him where he sat on the windowsill. "Dear Lord, Bella! Your face!" He stood back up, gently brushing my hair aside to see _Mike_. "Who did this Bella?" I didn't answer. "Answer me," he demanded.

I bit my lip before responding, "Mmm," I began to say but my lips refused to make the sound of his name.

Edward clearly understood my nervous mumbling. "You're kidding me." His face grew red with anger. "I'm going to kill that bastard." I cried harder. "You're not going to your apartment tonight," he simply said. "I won't let you. I'll send someone to get some of your things. You can stay at Alice's place or my place."

"Thank you."

**A/N- please let me know what you think! And if you have any plot ideas, I will happily consider them. I have the story pretty much worked out, but there are some holes here and there that your ideas can fill up. **


	7. Best Friend's Brother

**A/N-I apologize for not updating! Just like for Bella, my life gets a tad crazy around deadline week, too. Anyhoo, please review! Let me know what you think of this story so far! I would really appreciate the feedback. **

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 7: Best Friend's Brother**

Alice and I took the rest of the day off. She took me out to eat, and I told her everything. Half of her seemed shocked, but the other half, I think, expected it. I think she'd always known something was up. Even when I was dating him, she was not very fond of him. I guess she owed me an "I told you so."

Afterward, she dropped me off at her place before heading to my apartment to get some of my things. When she returned, she handed me a folded up piece of paper. "This was on the counter top," she told me. I took it from her and unfolded it. I recognized the handwriting. _Bella, _it read. _I apologize for last night. Please forgive me. I'll sign the divorce papers. -Mike_

"He'll sign," I said. _He'll sign. He'll sign, _I kept repeating in my head.

"Well, good because if he didn't I swear Edward would have ripped his head off." She paused and looked at me. "What's up with you two anyway?"

"Alice . . . I just decided I was filing for a divorce, and you insinuate I'm doing something with your brother?"

"It could happen," she shrugged.

"We don't touch best friend's brothers," I covered myself. _What about kissing best friend's brothers? Does that count?_

"Really?" she asked me. "Then why were you making out with him?"

I just about choked on my own breath. "Pardon me?" I continued to cough.

"Little sister knows all."

"No, seriously."

"He butt dialed me."

"He . . . butt dialed you? What?" My mind raced through all of the possible scenarios of how he could have butt dialed Alice while we were, um . . . yeah. Had I touched his ass _that _much? Maybe when he grabbed his keys from his pocket?

She nodded yes. "And you wait until now to tell me this?" She nodded yes once again. "Some best friend you are," I scoffed.

"Says the girl who's crushing on my brother."

"Valid point." I paused, but then decided to explain myself a little more. "It's just a fling, Alice. That's all."

"A fling? Really?" Both of her hands were placed on her hips, displaying her typical sass. "Then why did you tell him before me. . . about Mike?" My face went white. I had told him first, hadn't I? "I mean, I forgive you and all, but I'm still a little hurt that you would go to a man you barely know before your best friend. I guess I don't mean that much to you," she guilt-tripped me.

"I'm sorry, Alice," I apologized, but she didn't seem convinced, her hands still resting on her hips. "Really, I am! I was just overwhelmed by emotion, wasn't thinking clearly, and just needed to get it out."

"It's okay, Bells." She sat down next to me and hugged me. "I understand. I'll help you get through this, don't worry." She smiled a smile I had seen a million times before, but for some reason, it calmed me even more this time. "But first, let's get stuff on that head of yours so it heals quicker, and you don't have to see it in the mirror everyday."

The next day I found a note from Edward on my desk. _Go talk to Jacob. I know his friend, Sam, is a divorce attorney. ~Edward_

_Good to know, _I thought, folding the note back up and putting in my top drawer, not really knowing why I didn't just throw it away. I talked to Jacob, and he gave me Sam's number. I didn't give Jacob all of the details, just that I wanted to file for divorce. He apologized profusely and hugged me, telling me that if I needed anything, absolutely anything, to call him. I would call Sam later that day.

"Oh, and hey," Jacob stopped me from walking out the door. "You know that Hale event Edward shot on Saturday? Well, Jessica was supposed to write that profile on Jasper Hale . . . um, she quit this morning."

My jaw dropped. "Quit? As in like quit her job?" He nodded yes. "Whoa. Sudden."

"Very, and she left us in quite a bind because this profile is center spread. Do you think you could take it on?"

"Of course! What do you need me to do?" I asked. I needed something to keep my mind off of the recent events, and honestly, writing was the best thing to do that.

"Well, he was coming here today to be interviewed as well as get a portrait style photo taken by Edward." I gave him a look as to continue. "He'll be here in an hour. Be ready." He looked back at his computer, ignoring me. I took this as my cue to get out and get to work. I went straight to my computer and started researching this Jasper Hale, but all I could think about was Rosalie Hale. Some way or another, I would have to keep that side of my brain turned off during the interview. I didn't need to piss Jacob off with a conflict of interest.

Alice came to check on me, to make sure I hadn't had a melt down, I guess. "Alice, leave me alone. I have to prepare for this interview." But she ignored me and kept talking about what she wants to do Friday night. "Alice, for Pete's sake shut up!"

"Who's Pete? Is he cute? Is he single?"

"Alice, seriously shut the hell up and let me focus." Just then the front desk secretary led a rather handsome man to my desk. He wore a navy blue button down shirt and was holding a black overcoat in his arms. His hair was blond and curly. _This must be Jasper. _I could see the resemblances between him and his sister, Rosalie. Just before Alice interrupted me, I had discovered that the two were twins.

"Hi, you must be Mr. Hale." I stood up and extended my hand to him to shake. "I'm Bella Swan. Thank you so much for coming in today."

"Please call me Jasper," he smiled. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice smile a flirty smile. _Oh, God please no._

"Well, Jasper, right this way." I led him to the same black box type room that Edward and I had had our "dating in the dark" encounter. "Alice, stop following us."

"I was going to observe the interview . . . as your editor."

I rolled my eyes. "Alice, you are not my editor. Please leave us alone."

"Oh, she can _observe,_" Jasper said. "I don't mind."

I glanced back at Alice, who stuck her tongue out at me like a child.

The interview was awkward, to say the least. Although unprepared, I definitely got a story, but having two other people observe was a little nerve-racking. I had Edward taking photos of Jasper while he answered my questions, and I had Alice just sitting in the corner looking like a high school girl completely infatuated with the the quaterback. When Edward wasn't taking photos, he was leaning up against the wall, a Canon DSLR camera slung around his neck and a pen sometimes resting between his fingers and his lips.

_His lips._

"How do you feel about _Cullen _naming you the number one eligible bachelor in New York City?" I asked Jasper with a bit of laughter in my voice.

"Awkward?" he said. "It's not really something I asked for, ya know? I mean, it's cool and all, and flattering, but then again, will it play against me?" he questioned. "It's like a giant billboard screaming 'Jasper Hale is single, ladies. Come and get him.' It's sort of embarrassing."

I smiled. "And that's a problem?" I asked, getting back into the conversational flow of the interview. I hated question-answer-question-answer interviews; the best interviews are those where you actually have a conversation with the person, breaking down the awkward stranger wall.

"Well," he rolled his eyes. "I've never really had a problem in _that _department."

I heard a slight chuckle escape Edward's mouth, so I glanced over at him. He winked at me, making me laugh and blush. "Edward, mind your business. Now, Jasper, final question, I promise. Once you take over your dad's company, what is one thing you want to do with that power?"

"Power?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow in a very similar fashion to Edward. "It sounds scripted, but I don't really think of it as gaining power from my dad. It's more like gaining more opportunities in my life."

As I walked Jasper out of the portrait room and to the elevator, I set my notebook on my desk. He turned around and, I guess, noticed the picture on my desk. I had forgotten to remove it earlier that day. "Oh," he said. "How do you know Mike? He's my sister's boyfriend."

I cringed. "Um, yeah, I know." He gave me perplexed look. "I really don't know if I am in the position to tell you this, Jasper."

Alice walked by on her way to her office. "Make her tell you," she whispered without stopping. Jasper looked at me, almost daggers, pleading for me to tell him.

"Mike is my husband," I forced out. "But then I found out he was cheating on me with your sister, so now I'm divorcing him, and whoa this is awkward. I barely know you, but yet I'm telling you personal information, and about your sister, too. Great, great great," I rambled.

"He's . . . your . . . married . . . cheating . . . my sister . . . that bastard." _My thoughts exactly. _"Bella, I swear Rosalie had no idea. She would have never touched him if she'd known. I promise I will tell her tonight." I thanked him and made Alice show him out. It made me feel a million times better that Rosalie had not know she was sleeping with (or at least I assume she was) a married man. I couldn't blame her even though every fiber of my being wanted to.

"Hey," Edward greeted me. "I had no idea you were such the reporter."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, I'm used to reading your column. I'm not used to seeing you . . . oh I don't know, report," he laughed.

"Hm," I laughed, too. "I was a journalism major. I'm no Woodward or Bernstein, but I know my stuff." He smiled, I assume appreciating my Watergate reference. "But go away," I shewed him away. "I have work to do."

"Okay, fine, fine." Edward began to turn around, but as he did I heard him mutter, "Shit." I looked up and followed his gaze to the front desk. A tall man with dark hair was standing over the receptionist's desk. The receptionist nodded, stood up, and began walking this way.

"Edward, who is that?" I asked him as the entire newsroom grew dead silent as people noticed the visitor walking toward Carlisle's office.

"Aro Volturi," he replied.

"As in _Volterra Magazine_?" I questioned. He nodded yes, still frozen as he watched Aro make his way to his father's office. "Why is he here?" No response. "Edward? Why is here?"

"He wants to buy out my dad's publication, Bella." Edward then stormed off to his office.


	8. Visitors

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 8: Visitors**

The next day I returned to the apartment, wanting to grab some new clothes to move to Alice's, but to my surprise, all of Mike's belongings were no where to be found. Even his favorite coffee mug no longer sat dirty in the sink. His drawers were bare. His toothbrush no longer laid next to mine. His tattered copy of his favorite book, _The Great Gatsby_, was not on the coffee table. I sighed and sat on a bar-stool in the kitchen, not knowing where to go from there. Although I was semi-relieved that all of this was clearing up relatively fast, I felt empty. The man that I had been in love with since junior year of high school was no longer the man I married. He had changed, and I didn't know whether to blame myself or him.

Part of me blamed him.

But the other part hated myself for it.

There could have been warning signs, right? I should have known. I should have known that he would change, leaving me in the dust.

I noticed a blinking light on the message machine, and pressed the button, praying it wasn't Mike's sweet mother just calling to say hi. I'm going to miss her.

It wasn't Mrs. Newton. It was Mike.

"Hi Bella," he began, but a at least ten seconds of silence passed before I heard his voice again. I cringed as memories flooded their way back into my head. "I got all of my stuff out of the apartment. We can deal with things we both own later. I just wanted you to be able to move back in. I'm staying with a friend. Call my cell if you need to contact me."

I was not expecting him to be so calm about this situation. The bitch in me wanted him to do something drastic, just so I would get the satisfaction of winning. I'd take what I could get, though.

That afternoon, I called Jacob's friend Sam. He told me that in the state of New York a couple could file for divorce a couple of different ways. Apparently we could file for either a "contested divorce" or an "uncontested divorce." I told him that it would probably end up being an uncontested divorce since we both agreed to the divorce, and I am almost positive that he'll agree to everything and hopefully be civil.

His past few weeks really have not proven him to be a very civil person, though.

We'll see.

A week passed-I went to work, wrote Jasper Hale's profile, wrote my columns, talked with Alice, waited for Sam to send me the papers, and ignored the Valentine's Day decorations around the city. Instead, I exchanged notes with Edward as if we were high schoolers.

_You're blinds are closed. That's not nice. I can't see you from my desk now. Not that I'm a stalker or anything . . . _I wrote on a piece of paper Friday afternoon and asked the intern, Seth, to deliver it to Edward's office when he got a chance.

About twenty minutes later, I received a reply. _They're open. Happy? _I looked up. They were open. I was happy. _Creeper. _I looked up again and caught him smiling at me.

This time, instead of bothering Seth again, I emailed him. _Well, I mean being a reporter/photographer is basically being a stalker, right? _

Edward: _I guess you could say that. _

Me: _I did say that . . . _

Edward: _Are you free tonight? _

Me: _Well, you know me! Miss Socialite! I always have plans. Yeah. I'm free. Why?_

Edward: _Alice and I were talking about you the other day while we were over at our parents' house (not to be a creeper, myself), and my mother overheard us. Well, you know my mom because of Alice, obviously, and you must know she adores you and wishes to adopt you. But anywho, she invited you over to dinner tonight. Has Alice already told you? She was really excited for you to come over because apparently she found her old prom dress in a closet and wanted to show it to you (I apologize in advance). _

Me: _You talk as much as a teenager girl sometimes. And yeah, actually Alice is currently walking to my desk right now, so I assume that is what this is about. But yes, I would love to. _

"Excuse me?" a voice interrupted me as I hit send. I looked up to find a large but fit man in front of me, with brown curly hair. _Well hello there. _"Can you tell me where Edward or Carlisle Cullen's office is?"

"Yeah, actually Edward's is right there." I pointed just down the hallway to Edward's door which suddenly swung open, revealing a smiling Edward.

"Emmett!" Edward yelled. "What the hell are you doing here?" They both greeted each other and did that seemingly manly hug/pound thing that I honestly just do not understand. Looks stupid, if you ask me.

"I figured I'd surprise you and dad," this Emmett told him. Carlisle's work must have been disturbed by the commotion in the hallway and came out. "Dad!" Emmett exclaimed, turning around to hug his father.

"I didn't know you were on leave, son!" Carlisle said. _Leave? As in the military?_

I slowly got up form my desk and made my way to Edward's office, a random file in hand so it looked as if I had a purpose to go in that direction.

"Who's the visitor?" I casually asked Edward.

"My brother Emmett. Emmett this is my friend, Bella." I was honestly pissed at Edward for _not _stuttering over the word "friend." Wasn't he supposed to do that? I know I couldn't blame him, but still. _Friend? _

Edward and Carlisle both left to go out to lunch with Emmett, missing my visitor's arrival.

My phone rang, startling me out of my writing trance. I glanced at the caller ID before picking up; it was the front desk receptionist. "Hey, Irina," I answered.

"Hi Bella. Um, there's a, uh, a visitor here looking for you. She . . . yeah, just come up front when you can." _Weird. _

I stood up and turned around, laying eyes on my visitor. Immediately, my stomach free fell off of a cliff. There stood the drop-dead gorgeous blond whom I had never wanted to meet in person. Taking a deep breath, I composed myself and approached her. "Hi, I'm Bella. May I help you?" I introduced myself, acting as if I had no idea who she was.

"Hi," she said, biting her lip. She didn't seem like the type to be nervous. She seemed like the type to be confident in any situation, but here, her nerves were clearly visible. "I'm Rosalie Hale. Do you mind if we speak in private?"

"Yeah, sure. Irina, is conference room A available?" I asked the receptionist. A was not available, but B was. _Hmm, _I chuckled to myself. _Plan B. Kind of like how Mike moved on from me. _I shook my head, clearing it, again, like an etch-a-sketch. I led Rosalie into conference room B, turning on the lights and sitting down at the long table. She, too, sat down.

_Fawkward._

"I know," Rosalie started off. "My brother told me last night." _Silence. _"I didn't believe him at first. I yelled at him and accused him of trying to break up my relationship with Michael." _Michael. _"Then he decided to Google him . . . your wedding announcement popped up in a newspaper's archives." _Silence. _"So is it true?" she asked me. I could tell that she wanted me to respond by asking her who the hell Michael was.

"It's true," I answered. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? No, I am sorry! If I had known he was married, I never would have thought about going on a date with him. I'm not the type of girl to take someone else's guy, or husband for that matter." She seemed extremely distressed. I nodded, not really knowing how to respond. "I haven't broken up with him yet. I'm going to, but I wanted to talk to you first." _Damn silence. _She smiled and laughed a little bit. "We could show that bastard if we-"

"No," I stopped her. "No, I'm not going to sabotage him. Sure I currently hate the man, but I did love him. And I would never hurt him like he hurt me. It's just not in my nature. I'd rather get this divorce over with in a clean and civil fashion."

"I understand," she said, "and I admire you for that."

"Look, there's really nothing for us to discuss. I'm divorcing him; you can break up with him if you want to, but I want this whole chapter of my life to just end. I don't mean to put up a wall between us. If you ever want to talk about it, sure call me, but I'd really prefer to be rid of him first."

"I understand," she said again and stood up to leave. "Thank you for letting me come and talk to you today, though. It meant a lot."

"No problem."

"I'm going straight to his office after this and dumping his sorry ass." I smiled. "I'll let you know how it goes." She opened up the door of the conference room, slamming into Edward's brother, Emmett, as she walked out. "Oh, I am so sorry!" she apologized.

"No, _I'm _sorry," he said.

"Emmett, this is Rosalie," I introduced them. "She's my . . . my . . . she's a friend."

"Is she your prettiest friend?" he asked.

"Um," Edward interrupted. "I apologize for my brother. He can be a bit rude sometimes."

"Well, Rosalie . . .?" Emmett paused for her last name. She told him it was Hale, and he seemed a little taken aback, recognizing the name. "Well, Rosalie Hale, I'm pleased to meet you."

"You too," she responded, flutter her eyelashes just the slightest. "Are you busy? I was just on my way to my . . . well, on my way to some one's office down the street, and I would love your company."

"And protection," I coughed.

"Yeah, that too," Rosalie laughed. "I may need that."

"Of course," Emmett obliged like the gentleman I had observed him to be that day. "I'll see ya tonight, Edward. Mom told me she's making my favorite, so ha!" I smiled at the brotherly relationship, but silently laughed to myself. Clearly, we knew Rosalie was quite the flirt. _No wonder she got Mike . . . or Michael. _

After they left, Edward and I locked eyes for a few quick moments. He smiled a crooked smile, making me laugh. "Get to work, Swan," he laughed.

_My maiden name. _

Later that day, Alice came and sat on my desk. "What's up, ho?"

I burst into laughter. "Ho? Really? Did you seriously just call me a ho? What are you? Fifteen?"

"No," she answered. "I'm fourteen. Sheesh!" I rolled my eyes. "Anyhoo, check this out." Alice set her cell phone on my desk in front of me. On it was a photo of her and . . . _Is that Jasper Hale? _

"Alice," I choked back an insult. "Is this a selfie?" She nodded. "Of you and Jasper Hale?" Another nod yes. "From when?"

"Last night," she perked up, all smiley. "He took me ice skating."

"You went on a _date _with him? The man you just met yesterday! Jeeze, what is with people and moving fast these days?"

"Says the girl who made out with my brother while I was on the phone," she snapped.

"Kay, we're forgetting that ever happened." A memory flashed through my mind at the speed of light, barely even there. That kiss in the cab. What was it that had caused that sudden attraction between Edward and I?

I guess it was best that I just forget it.

"It wasn't a date," Alice snapped "It was just fun. It was nice to be with someone and just laugh. I didn't have to worry about him totally hitting on me or taking advantage of me. It was nice. He's nice."

I sighed.

"And he's coming tonight," she blurted out before running away from me and back to her office. _He's what? Where? _

_Oh. Dinner at the Cullen's house. _

_Oh my God, I need something to wear. Shit. Alice get back here. _

**A/N-Again, I apologize for chapter 7 taking a while, but hey, 8 was there pretty quickly, right?Please please pelase please make me super duper happy and review! **


	9. Victoria's Secret

**A/N-I am SO sorry I have not updated in a really long time! Life has been a little crazy! Here's chapter 9! I hope you like it. Please please please pretty please review! And if you don't do it for me, at least do it for Edward. :) And another side note, this chapter, for some reason, was really tough for me to write, so I apologize if it is not one of my bests. **

**P.S. Go check out the link on my profile page to see Bella's outfit for this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 9: Victoria's Secret **

My hand hovered over the doorbell. _To ring or not to ring? _I thought dramatically. _That is the question. _The sooner I rang the bell, the sooner Edward would answer . . . or someone. I knew his parents. I don't know why I was so nervous.

I scanned the front porch once again. _Damn. A maid will probably answer from the looks of this place. _I bit my lip and looked down the driveway at my car, wanting to turn around and run back to it, never looking back. _Wait, the Cullen's don't have a maid. Esme is too Esme for a maid. _

_Ring? _

_ Yes. Ring it. _

Just as my finger pressed the button, the door swung open to reveal a bubbly Alice. "Hello there!" her voice rang out. "Come in! Come in! Oh thank God! You wore the outfit I told you to. I had an extra one all picked out and ready in the trunk of my car just in case you decided to flake on my fashion advice."

"Thank you?"

Alice nodded. "You're welcome. Now, just an FYI, I'm scared."

"Scared?" Seriously, when is Alice Cullen ever scared of anything?

"Jasper and dad are . . . clicking."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked. "And actually, come to think of it, why do you care? Since when is this random Jasper kid-yes kid-so important to you?"

"He's nice," she said kind of sheepishly. I raised one eyebrow in suspicion. "Sorry. He's just the first guy in my life, besides my daddy, to actually act like a gentleman."

"Oh, and so I guess that rules your brother out?" I asked, a joking tone in my voice.

"Ha, no. I love my brother! He's up there on the gentleman list, too, but I would never want to _date _my brother."

"Date?" I asked. "Hmm. You do like this kid."

"Hey!" a voice greeted me as Edward turned the corner. "You really didn't have to come tonight," he said, taking my coat from me and placing it in a hall closet.

"No, I wanted to," I told him. "I miss your parents! I haven't seen them since Christmas."

He smiled another crooked smile at me. I could almost see his thought process in his facial expressions. It was like he knew I didn't just come to see Esme and Carlisle. He knew I had come to see him.

"Bella!" a voice rang out. "I'm in the kitchen, sweetie! Come say hi! I've missed you." _Oh, Esme. _Edward and Alice led me into the kitchen, where Esme stood drinking a glass of red wine and stirring a pot of boiling pasta. "Bella!" She smiled and set down her glass to give me a warm, welcoming hug.

"Good to see you, Esme! Thank you for inviting me."

"Oh, no no no! Edward was the one who begged me to inv-" Edward cut her off by faking coughing. "He's embarrassed to admit it, but it's true. He called me up yesterday and begged me to let him invite you. Someone has a crush on you."

"Mother!" Edward gasped. "Uncalled for!"

Esme looked at me and shrugged. "It's a mother's job to embarrass her son, isn't it. Edward, can you please call your brother and ask him where he is. He was supposed to be here a half hour ago."

"Sure, why not," Edward rolled his eyes.

I pointed at him. "My thing." He laughed and walked out of the room to call Emmett just when the doorbell rang. _Emmett. _Alice and I followed Edward out of the kitchen to answer the door. I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes landed on who walked through the front door on Emmett's arm.

"Rosalie," I blurted out. Alice glared over at me and mouth _Rosalie? _I nodded yes, and mouthed, _Hale._

"Bella! Alice! Hi! Oh, Alice, is my brother here?"

Alice nodded yes.

"Awkward," Rosalie laughed.

So as it turned out, Rosalie had charmed Emmett stupid within a few hours, and he asked her to tag along to dinner tonight. Esme was a little peeved, I could tell, that Emmett gave her no notice whatsoever, but she hid it with grace. We eventually dragged Jasper and Carlisle out of the game room-they were bonding over a game of pool. After dinner, we all stood around the island in the kitchen eating the most delicious chocolate cake I had ever tasted. Esme was a true goddess in the kitchen! I could eat in the Cullen kitchen every day!

"Bella?" Alice asked me, holding back a laugh. "Look down."

I glanced down at my chest, and there, on one of the navy blue stripes sat a rather decent size, deep chocolate stain. "Klutz," I muttered. I heard a slight chuckle escape Edward's mouth as he stuffed a bite of cake into his mouth.

"C'mon." Alice grabbed my wrist. "I'll take you upstairs and find something for you to wear. Mom can try to get that stain out for you before you leave."

I thanked Alice as I followed her up the dark wood steps. "Here," she pointed to a bathroom door inside of a guest room. "Go take that off, and I'll go get you something else to wear."

"Sounds good." As I was waiting for Alice in the bathroom, I glanced down at a photo that sat on the counter top. It was Edward and Alice when they were kids; Alice was swinging from a tree swing, and Edward was leaning up against the tree trunk, looking up at his younger sister. _That's adorable. _Another frame sat on the opposite side of the marble sink. Edward and Alice were rolling around in a huge pile of leaves.

"Here ya go, Bells." Alice knocked on the door; I cracked it open and she handed me a pink bag. I thanked her, and she left before I got a chance to look at the bag's contents.

"What. The. Hell," I gritted through my teeth. "Alice, I am going to kill you!" In the bag I found, what looked like, a trip to Victoria's Secret. I started to pull out the black lingerie, but stopped midway. "ALICE!" I screamed. "ALICE!" _God, Alice! _"MARY ALICE CULLEN, GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE!"

"Bella?"

I froze. That was not the voice I wanted to hear.

"Bella?" Edward asked again. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Could you go get Alice for me?"

"She just stepped outside with Jasper." _Sure she did. _"Do you mind explaining to me why you won't come out of the bathroom?"

"Well . . . I'm not wearing any clothing for one. Alice took my dress."

"She took your dress?" he laughed.

"And left me a bag of black, lacy lingerie."

Another chuckle. "Oh." _Awkward silence. _"Um, well, can I help you?" he asked awkwardly. I heard the bed squeak, so I assumed he figured he would be there a while and sat down. "You know . . . I'm sorry about what my mom said."

"I'm not."

"What?"

"Your mom shared some very valuable information." I sat down on the floor against the bathroom door.

"Valuable information?" I couldn't see it, but I knew he raised one eyebrow like he always does when he is confused or is asking a question.

"Yes." For the next couple of minutes, neither of us spoke. We just sat there with a wall between us. "Edward," I broke the silence. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

I smiled, but then remembered he couldn't see my face. "Does someone have a bit of a crush on me?" I laughed.

"Someone has a bit of a crush on you?" he questioned me. "Who is this bastard? I'm going to have to show him who you really have feelings for so he'll leave you alone," he joked.

"Oh! And who do I really have feelings for?"

"Me."

"I-" But my ringing cell phone cut me off. I apologized to Edward and then answered it. "Alice, what do you want?"

"Oh, just wanted to check on you. Did you like the clothes I gave you?"

"You mean the come-fuck-me outfit? Ya, Alice bring me real clothing right now. I'm not a whore."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she tired to act all innocent.

"Alice."

"Fine. I'm on my way up." The line went dead.

"She's bringing me some other clothes," I told Edward, but then remembered the conversation that Alice had interrupted. _Was he being serious? Or just cute? Or did he just want to get me into bed? _"Edward, after I have, um, clothing on, can we finish this conversation?"

"Of course. I'll be downstairs helping my mom clean up." _He helps his mother clean up the kitchen and do the dishes. _

_Perfect guy. _

**A/N-again, I am SO sorry for the delayed update! I'm traveling this week so I won't have access to a computer, but I will try my best to work out Chapter 10's plot in my head so when I get back I can just type it all up and have posted for you!**

**Look at the little button just below this . . . click it . . . write me a little note . . . c'mon . . . you know you want to . . . **


	10. The Promotion

**A/N- Four words. I am so sorry. **

**And another apology for the short chapters. I kind of like this story having short, quick, easy chapters. If you want longer, please let me know! I plan to update this story again next weekend . . . if I don't . . . PM me and remind me. :)**

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 10: The Promotion**

"Hey, you need a ride?" Edward asked me as we both walked out the front door of his parents' home. I had taken a cab-I will never ever drive in New York City. Never ever.

"That'd be great." I smiled. "Thanks." I climbed into the front seat of his car, a sleek silver Volvo. The interior was clean, abnormally clean. _Is this guy really a male? _I crossed my legs and rolled my eyes at my outfit. Alice had put me in one of Esme's dark plum dresses. It was pretty, just not me. I would return it to Alice later this week.

"So that conversation," Edward mused, pulling out of his parent's driveway.

"That conversation," I repeated.

"Yeah."

"HmmMmmm." _You certainly have a way with words, Bella. _"What about it?"

"Okay, um," he started nervously, flicking his left blinker on. "I'm going to be a gentleman."

"A gentleman?" I laughed. _Says the guy who thought I was going to sleep with him after that first night. _

_Okay. Well. Exception. Happy? _

"Can I take you out on a date? Like a real date? Not just hanging out at that bar."

"Edward, I-" I started, but stopped myself. I needed to word this carefully. I didn't need my foot in my mouth. "Edward, I don't think I want to be in . . . in a relationship right now. I honestly just want to get through this divorce and then move on afterward." _Silence. Awkward turtle-wow, I'm still in the seventh grade. _

Edward smiled. Either I was severely wrong about him being into me and he was lying about the "crush" (Oh, Esme), or he was a great actor. "If you need anything, Bella, through the divorce, just let me know. I'm here for ya." _Well, that was sweet. _He turned on the radio to, I'm guessing, block out the awkward tension.

The next morning, I was called into Carlisle's office the second I sat down at my desk.

"Hello, Bella," he greeted me as I sat down. "It was great to see you last night. It's good to see Edward so happy." I smiled, not wanting to tell him my decision and conversation with his son last night.

"Well, thank you for inviting me." I crossed my legs. "What did you need to talk about?" I asked.

"Ah, yes, well," he began, grabbed a folder out of a desk drawer, "would you be interested in switching positions on staff?"

A perplexed expression washed over my face. "Do you mind me asking why? And what position for that matter?"

"I had a meeting with our board members last week, and we decided that in order to keep up with the times, we need to establish a strong Internet presence." _Don't we already have a website? Isn't that Internet presence? _"And while we already have a website, let's face it, it is not up to par. We would like you as our Web editor."

"Editor?"

"Yes."

"And that would entail?" I probed.

"You would oversee what pieces are only posted on the site as well as approve print pieces to go online, which only a few from each issue will be posted online."

I bit my lip, weighing my options. "Will I still get to write?" I asked him. That's one thing that I will not give up.

"Well, yes, that's the other part of the deal. We want to move your column entirely to the website and make it a weekly post." My teeth slowly let go of my bottom lip as a smile stretched across my lips. "Now before you make your decision, I want you to take the day to think it over. Let me know before you leave today."

"No, it's okay! I'll do it, I'd love to. Thank you so much for this opportunity."

"No, thank you, Bella! I know you will be perfect for this position and do amazing things."

"This sudden interest in an Internet presence wouldn't have anything to do with your visitor a couple days ago, would it?" I asked, knowing I was in no place to ask such an intrusive question. "Aro Volturi?"

"It has everything to do with him." _Everything? _"Bella," Carlisle began, "If this website doesn't help boost our ratings and readership, _Volterra _will . . . inherit the publication."

"Inherit? What do you mean inherit?" Just then his phone rang so I excused myself from his office. Back at my desk, my phone rang again. _Carlisle Cullen, _the caller ID read. "Hi Carlisle."

"Hi Bella. If you choose to accept the new position, would you be interested in going to a convention in Anaheim, California, next month? I would like to send you and a photographer."

"Sure, I'd love to. When do you need me to get back to you about the position?"

"Preferably tomorrow morning."

"Perfect."

**A/N- My friend Lauren did not like this chapter at all. So she wrote her own version... Here it is... (And so you understand what she wrote, Carrie is my name if you didn't already know that.) **

"**I love you, Edward." **

"**I love you more, Bella." **

"**I hate Carrie, Edward."**

"**I hate Carrie more, Bella."**

"**We deserve a relationship. I'll go get Alice's black lacy lingerie."**

"**Hell, yeah. Shhhhh...don't tell Carrie!"**

"**Why would I ever tell Carrie? You're the one I share my secrets with."**

"**Ummm...okay Bella...that was awfully cheesy."**

"**We're over."**

"**But what about the lingerie?"**

"**Forget it, Edward. I'm going back to Mike."**

"**I'll wear the lingerie."**

"**Fine."**

**PLEASE REVIEW! (both my chapter 10 and Lauren's, if you want to . . .)**


	11. Inheritance

**A/N - So it's been . . . I don't even want to know how many months since I last updated this story. It's crazy, I know. It's unforgivable, I know. But here I am now, right? Life has been nuts! From working on countless other stories (not posted on FF) to school to my own publication deadlines . . . life is what we call "50 shades of cray cray." I just took my last final today, so that hopefully means I will update with Chapter 12 in the next week . . . hopefully. **

**Big shoutout to DutchGirl01 for messaging me this week asking if I was okay since I haven't been updating in **_**forever. **_**Your message made my day! Made me smile! Made me want to give you a hug! So here's a big hug!**

**Another big shoutout to ltaylor041. You're fantastic! Thank you for proofing this for me! And I'm assuming you're ecstatic that I FINALLY updated something. :) **

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 11: Inheritance**

The next day, I gave Carlisle an official "yes." My thought process went something like this:

_ Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes! _

_ Eh, wait. That's a lot. And I don't know much about managing a website. _

_ Oh well. I can learn. Yes!_

_ No, uh uh. What if people don't take me seriously?_

_ I can make them take me seriously, I guess. Plus, I kind of need the extra money considering I have to pay Sam . . . and now live on my own without Mike's help . . . But I shouldn't take the position because of Mike . . . I should take it because I like what I do and because I want it. _

_ I want it._

_ Yes. I'll take it. _

A few hours later, my phone rang. _Edward. _"Hey there, stranger," I picked up.

"Looks like we're headed to California." I looked up in the direction of his office in confusion. He smiled that crooked smile when our eyes connected. "The convention? In Anaheim?"

"Oh! That! Yeah, you're going?" I asked, trying to conceal the excitement I knew I should not be feeling.

"Yes, ma'am, but I think I may have one request of you as my travel companion."

I laughed at how formal and awkward his statement sounded. "Yes?"

"We're going to Disneyland and California Adventure." I glanced in his office's direction once again. He was smiling like a little kid who just found out he was going to Disneyland.

"You've got yourself a deal, Mr. Cullen." We both paused to smile at each other through the glass of his office. "When do we leave? Your dad didn't tell me yet."

"Eight days."

"BELLA!" Alice's voice rang through the newsroom causing everyone to stop and look in her direction.

"I'll talk to you later, Edward," I said. "Must tend to your sister."

Minutes later, I entered Alice's sleek office and plopped down on the gray leather chair adorned with a pink and orange pillow. "May I help you, oh loud obnoxious one?"

"Congratulations, bitch!"

"Now isn't that a term of endearment!" I laughed.

"Why didn't you tell me, bitch?" she asked, almost jumping out of her seat and across her desk.

"Well, I just told your dad yes this morning."

"Still, bitch!" Alice squealed.

"Okay, you need to stop calling me that."

"Fine, ho." I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at my best friend. "What?!" she freaked out as if I was accusing her of murder. My glare got stronger. "Fine. Still, congratulations! I'm so proud of you. You're gonna be great, sweetie!"

"Thanks! That means a lot." I bit my lip. "Except I have to go to California in eight days with your brother for a convention."

"Oh, I can feel the sexual tension already."

"Kay, really? Really!? That's the first thing you say?" I acted totally pissed off and stormed out of her office to my desk. She quickly followed and plopped down on my lap. "Umph, Alice! Just because you're the size of Tinker Bell, doesn't mean you can just go around sitting on people all day."

"Oh, c'mon you know you like my ass." Alice wiggled on my lap for effect, and her head jerked up to the honeymoon frame. "Why is this still on your desk?" She grabbed the hurtful reminder and held it up in front of your face. "He's leftovers, Bella, so this should be, too. Now, kiss it goodbye," she demanded. I spit on it instead just before she tossed it in the trash. "Girl power. That douche bag can go fuck himself."

"Oh, he's too busy fucking rich New York socialites to do that," I snapped back even though I knew Rosalie was now latching on to Emmett Cullen.

"And you're too busy to spend one last brain cell worrying about the bastard we will soon call your ex-husband, got it?"

"Got it."

Alice eventually let me be, so I went back to work. Carlisle had emailed me with a list of things I needed to think about for the site. Soon enough, though, a text from Edward interrupted me. _Ordering lunch from Klein's_, his text read._ Want me to grab anything for you? _I texted him back my order, wondering what made him text me. Did he need an excuse to talk to me? Because I'm not complaining.

We sat in Edward's office, door closed, eating lunch. He was still acting like a little kid, making plans for Disneyland, everything from the first ride he wants to ride to watching fireworks at night. The smile on his face was adorable; it was contagious.

"Hey, I have a question," randomly said, cutting off whatever he was saying about Main Street.

"Shoot."

"Yesterday your dad said something about _Volterra _inheriting _Cullen. _What does he mean _inherit_?"

Edward's jaw went tight as he set his food back down his desk. "I doubt he meant to say inherit."

I shook my head. "It seemed deliberate. And when I asked him about it, he was going to explain, but the phone rang." Edward glanced at the clock on his wall. "We have time," I told him.

"Aro Volturi is my dad's brother, well, adopted brother."

I started coughing, choking on my drink. "His _what_?"

"Brother." I raised an eyebrow in question. "Uncle Aro."

"Ew, but why would he inherit _Cullen_?"

"They've always hated each other, not just in a brotherly rival sort of way. Aro was adopted first, you see, and when my dad came around a year later, Aro felt as if he was being replaced. Plus, it didn't help that Carlisle was essentially the perfect child, showing Aro up in sports, school, _girls_, everything."

"They don't act like brothers." The second I said it, I regretted it. _Well, no shit, Bella. He just said they hated each other. _

Edward smiled slightly, ignoring my moment of delusion, and continued. "When my dad graduated from college, my grandfather gave him _Cullen_. Aro was obviously pissed and started _Volterra_."

"Wait. Where did Volturi and Volterra come from?" I questioned, confused.

"That was his name before he was adopted. All through college he scoured the earth for his birth parents. Found their death certificates, their Italian death certificates."

"Damn."

"And ended up finding a niece, Jane, and nephew, Alec."

"They work for him, don't they?"

He nodded yes and continued with his story. "When my dad was 26, my grandparents were both killed on impact in the same car accident." Edward briefly looked down at his desk. "They were holding hands." An _awe_ sound escaped my lips. "Anywho, they left most everything to Carlisle, the house, what was in the house, money, everything. The night of the funeral, though, Aro got my dad drunk and ended up tricking him into signing away most of his inheritance, the money anyway. He let him keep the house and its contents. That's the house they live in now."

"But why would Aro inherit _Cullen_? That doesn't make sense?"

"My dad won't tell any of us . . . but something else happened that night. Aro has something on him and he brings it out anyway he can. It's like he finds it amusing that he can hold this . . . whatever it is . . . over my dad's head. Like for once Aro has something that Carlisle doesn't, ya know?"

"Okay," I said. "So Aro's blackmailing Carlisle, but I still don't get it. Why would he 'inherit' _Cullen_ if it starts to go down hill?"

"Aro owns _Cullen._"

**A/N - So what do you think? Please review! I hope to update either later this week or early next week. We'll see! **


	12. Princess

**A/N - HEY! Look! An update! Short chapter, but enjoy! Let me know what you think! [Translation: Please review!] The next chapter is . . . how you say . . . full of sexual tension? At least that's my plan :)**

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Mind Your Own Business**

**Chapter 12: Princess**

Those eight days could not have gone by slower. Waiting was agony. The clock on my kitchen wall mocked me as it ticked by at a moronic pace. The date on my phone glared back at me as I willed it to change. The Mickey Mouse ears Edward set on my desk invited me into happy, but distracting, thoughts of California.

But sure enough, the time to board our plane arrived. We both boarded, sitting next to each other in silence until a few minutes after we had taken off. He grabbed the convention itinerary to read, and I placed my ipod in my ears, needing to sleep. The couple of nights prior to our "work" trip, I hardly slept. Sam had told me everything was handled. Mike would receive the papers, sign the papers, I'd sign them, and everything would be done. Except, Mike wasn't signing the papers. _He told me he would, damn it,_ I cursed throughout the night. Sam texted me just before we boarded, telling me he had received a message from Mike's new lawyer. Turned out things weren't going to be as easy as I had hoped. I wished this trip would get my mind off of the divorce. I needed a distraction, and if that distraction happened to be Edward, I wasn't going to argue.

At all.

A gentle poke to my shoulder woke me up from my song-induced sleep. Opening my eyes, I noticed I had fallen asleep on Edward's shoulder. I quickly sat up, realizing he had poked me to see if I wanted a drink. I politely asked the flight attendant for a water before turning back to face Edward. "I'm sorry," I said. "I don't mean to . . . ya."

He quietly chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Bella. No need to blush . . ."

"So," I moved on. "What's the plan?"

"Well, we'll land at LAX around seven, so rental car, food, then hotel sound good?"

"Perfect. When do actual sessions begin?"

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early. Those go all day. We apparently have a dinner set up with a publication from Nashville tomorrow night. Then Tuesday, more sessions. All day. Again. Tuesday night we have nothing. Wednesday morning is some closing thing, which I really think we could skip and go to Disney. Thursday we have nothing because I tricked my father into giving us an extra day. We leave Friday."

"I like this whole traveling for work thing right now."

"Ditto."

I attempted to gracefully stuff my mouth with pizza at a little place we found down the street from our hotel. We quickly decided that the table of men in the back of the restaurant consisted of owners . . . possibly mafia members. We started making up little stories about each of them.

"That one on the end," Edward started, "has a 12 year old son and a 16 year old daughter. He's staring off into space thinking of how he is supposed to explain to the family that she's pregnant with her boyfriend's baby."

"But the catch is . . . he already killed the boyfriend," I added. "Today. His daughter doesn't know yet."

"The boyfriend was apart of a rival family," he explained. "So once the rival family discovers their dead son . . . more blood will be shed."

I bit my lip, thinking of the next part of our story. "Once the girlfriend, though, finds out he was two-timing her, I don't think she'll care much." I took a bite of my pizza before continuing. "Her father is going to set her up with a nice, approved man to be the father of her baby in order to cover up the scandal."

"If she's not killed first."

I smiled. "Damn. What is wrong with us?" I laughed, taking a drink.

"We should be writers," he said, putting up his glass. "Cheers!"

"Cheers! And um, I am a writer, Edward."

"Oh, right."

Sessions were . . . boring, to say the least. By the third one, I was beginning to think this convention pointless. That was until we saw Jane and Alec Volturi. They entered a session we were in, quickly scanned the room before choosing the two open seats next to Edward and me.

"Oh, hi, Bella? Is it Bella?" Jane extended her hand for me to shake it. Alec nodded at Edward before Jane gave Edward her hand as if he was going to kiss it. Edward looked at it and then sat back in his chair, ignoring the creepy duo.

"Yes, Bella. Nice to see you Jane. Alec." I smiled at Alec, who only looked me up and down, grimacing.

"Isn't this great?" Jane asked, a sly smile slowly stretching across her pale face.

"Yeah," I smiled a fake smile before turning to glare at Edward. He shrugged. For the rest of the session, I was not able to keep focus. Edward stared ahead as he blindly typed notes on his iPad. Alec also took notes but in a little black leather notebook. Jane seemed preoccupied with the Facebook app on her phone. I kept glancing to my left, looking at Jane, trying to watch her every untrustworthy move. Sure, I barely knew her and was a tad biased after hearing the story of their uncle, but I couldn't help but hate her. I hated her. There was just something about Jane that irritated me.

Edward nudged my arm with his elbow and pointed to the iPad. He had typed me a note. _Stop staring at Princess Ice Bitch and pay attention_, it read. I shook my head no. He typed, _She can do no harm. It's Aro we need to watch out for._ I shrugged. _Calm down, _he typed. _The worst she can do is scratch you with one of her fake nails._

The session on tracking site visitors ended, and Jane turned to me. "It was so great to see you guys," she sneered. "We should definitely all go out to eat once we're back in the city."

"Yeah, definitely!" I channeled the fakeness I had learned in high school.

After they left, I turned to Edward. "Princess Ice Bitch?"

"Yes. Princess Ice Bitch."

"Okay then," I grabbed my bag that had been sitting on the floor before we headed out. "Back to the hotel and then to this dinner thing?"

Our hotel rooms were across the hall from one another, which, I have to say, is a good thing. I'm glad we were not in the same room. Goodness knows what would have happened if we were in the same room. Thank you, Carlisle.

Before changing into something nicer for dinner, I emptied my bag of all the flyers, pamphlets, and free pens I had received at the day's session. Noticing the blue binder from Carlisle was missing, I grabbed my phone and called Edward immediately, thinking he had it.

"Do you have the blue binder your dad gave us?" I asked.

"No, I thought you had it."

"I did. I had it with me all day."

"When was the last time you saw it?" he asked me.

"Um, we were looking through it at lunch before that analytics session."

"Princess Ice Bitch," he sneered.

"Excuse me?"

"Princess Ice Bitch."

"She didn't take it. She couldn't have. She wouldn't have. There's nothing in it of value to her, is there?"

"Well, it had our staff contact list, our freelancers list, all of our legal contacts, and I threw our brainstorming from the first session in there, too."

"Princess Ice Bitch," I spat. "We'll get it back. What time's the dinner?"

"We're meeting them in the lobby in twenty."

"Enough time to make myself look presentable," I laughed.

"You don't need any time at all for that, Bella."

And the line went dead.

**A/N - Happy New Year! **


End file.
